“What Villains Read” by Mary Soon Lee

Drafts of their own speeches.
Obituaries of their foes.
Slogans for smear campaigns.

Listings of ogres for hire.
Complete compendia of poisons.
Zeppelin performance ratings.

A missive from the first hero
they ever slew, a necessary stroke,
love a liability ill-afforded.

Mary Soon Lee was born and raised in London, but has lived in Pittsburgh for thirty years. She is a Grand Master of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association and a three-time winner of both the AnLab Readers’ Award and the Rhysling Award. Her latest book is How to Navigate Our Universe, containing how-to astronomy poems. Website: marysoonlee.com.